Preview calendar: Dance, galleries and museums for Dec. 22-28

California Ballet: "The Nutcracker"
---- The
company presents Maxine Mahon's annual production of the classic
holiday ballet featuring music by Tchaikovsky; 2:30 and 7 p.m. Dec.
22; San Diego Civic Theatre, Third Avenue at B Street, San Diego;
$25-$80; californiaballet.org or 858-560-6741.

Belmont Village Cardiff Gallery
---- This
senior-living complex presents an exhibit of images and stories by
Thomas Sanders that celebrates the long marriages of couples
residing at Belmont Village; 3535 Manchester Ave., Cardiff;
760-436-8900.

Brandon Gallery
---- The Fallbrook Art
Association hosts a member exhibit Jan. 2-31; reception, 4 to 7
p.m. Jan. 21; the annual Small Works Exhibition is now on display;
The cooperative gallery features the work of 225 to 300 member
artists; hours, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sundays; 105 N. Main Ave., Fallbrook; 760-723-1330.

jdc Fine Art
---- Jennifer DeCarlo has opened
this gallery specializing in contemporary photography; on display:
"The Good Colony: Framing a Concept," an exhibit exploring the
concept of colony from microscopic to romantic, idealistic and
tragic; hours, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; 2400 Kettner
Blvd., #208, San Diego; jdcfineart.com or 619-985-2322.

98 Bottles
---- An exhibit of work by David
Tyrone Villa is on display through Jan. 12 at this new Italian
restaurant; hours, 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesdays-Saturdays; 2400
Kettner Blvd., Suite 110, San Diego; 541-908-0139.

Rancho Buena Vista Adobe Gallery
---- A new
exhibit of oils, stained glass, sculpture, graphic art, crochet,
lithography and basket art by members of the Friends of the Rancho
Buena Vista Adobe and the RBV chapter of the Daughters of the
American Revolution is on display; hours, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wednesdays-Saturdays; 640 Alta Vista Drive, Vista; free;
760-639-6164.

Twin Oaks Gallery
---- "The QRt Show," an art
exhibit featuring hundreds of portfolios by artists around the
world whose work can be viewed via smartphone by scanning the QR
codes on the walls, is on display through Jan. 7; closing
reception, 6 p.m. Jan. 7; 757 Twin Oaks Valley Road, #3, San
Marcos; 760-703-3889.

Z Cafe
---- An exhibit of new work by Bob
Abbot, Neill Ketchum and H. Esades-Lacy is on display; River
Village center, 5256 S. Mission Road, Bonsall; 760-940-1751.

MUSEUMS

Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center
----
Includes information on the Indian peoples who lived here before
European settlers arrived, and on the native wildlife and plants
around the center; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, noon to 4
p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; 1580 Cannon Road, Carlsbad; free;
760-804-1969 or aguahedionda.org.

Air Group One, Commemorative Air Force, San Diego
Wing
---- Dedicated to preserving World War II aircraft
and educating the public about them. On display is an SNJ two-seat
Navy trainer, and an L-5 Sentinel is being restored; 10 a.m. to 1
p.m. Saturdays; Hangar No. 6, Gillespie Field, 1905 N. Marshall, El
Cajon; 619-259-5541 or cafairgroup1.org.

Bancroft Ranch House Museum
---- Historical
1863 home includes exhibits on American settlers to San Diego
County, and the Indians who were here before; 1 to 4 p.m.
Fridays-Sundays; 9050 Memory Lane, Spring Valley; free;
619-469-1480.

Cabrillo National Monument
---- U.S. national
park includes historical lighthouse, visitors center,
whale-watching outlooks, tide pools, military history exhibit,
bookstore and cliffside trail; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; $5 per
carload; $3 for walk-ins/cyclists; western foot of Catalina
Boulevard, Point Loma; www.nps.gov/cabr.

California Flight Museum
---- A half-dozen
historical aircraft, from a World War II trainer through Cold War
military aircraft up through of Dick Rutan's experimental Long Eze,
are on display; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays
---- but call ahead just in case; 1424 Continental St., Hangar #8
(at Brown Field in South San Diego); 619-661-2516 or
californiaflightmuseum.org.

California Surf Museum
---- "Hansen Surfboards
---- A 50-Year Retrospective," tracing the company and its
founders' history through vintage boards, photos, advertisements
and more, is on display; "Clay to Urethane: Skateboard Transitions
1965-1975" is open; permanent exhibits illustrate the history of
surfing and the culture that grew up around the sport; 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Fridays-Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays; 312 Pier View
Way, Oceanside; $3, general; $1, seniors and students; free,
children 12 and under; Tuesdays free for all visitors; 760-721-6876
or surfmuseum.org.

Chula Vista Nature Center
---- Plants and
animals native to San Diego Bay and the Otay River are on display,
with exhibits offering information on them; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays-Sundays; 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista; $11,
general; $8, seniors, students with ID and youths 12-17; $6,
children ages 4-11; free, children under 4; 619-409-5900 or
chulavistanaturecenter.org.

Fallbrook Historical Museum
---- Museum
documents and preserves Fallbrook history, including the
century-old Pittenger House, home of William Pittenger, Civil War
hero and Medal of Honor winner; historical displays and research
materials; 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; South Hill Street at
Rocky Crest Road, Fallbrook; free; 760-723-4125 or
fallbrookhistoricalsociety.com.

Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
---- The
nation's only museum dedicated to Marine Corps aviation history
features more than two dozen vintage and historically important
planes, jet fighters and helicopters used by Marine pilots in
combat from World Wars I and II through the ongoing war on terror,
along with artifacts, photos and displays; 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesdays-Sundays, except major holidays; Miramar Marine Corps Air
Station, Miramar Road, 1.3 miles west of I-15, San Diego; free;
858-693-1723 or flyingleathernecks.org.

The Knox House Museum
---- Historical structure
has exhibits tracing life in San Diego County from the end of the
Civil War through the early 20th century, with a focus on settlers
in El Cajon; 12:15 to 3:15 p.m. the first Saturday, and 11 a.m. to
1:15 p.m. the third Saturday; 280 N. Magnolia Avenue, El Cajon;
free; 619-444-3800 or elcajonhistory.org.

Kumeyaay-Ipai Interpretive Center at Pauwai
---- This 5-acre archaeological site operated by Poway, Friends of
the Kumeyaay and San Pasqual Band of Indians includes an Indian
interpretive center with exhibits, a re-creation of a Kumeyaay hut
("ewaa"), native gardens and archaeological ruins; tours are
offered during park hours, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays; 13104 Ipai
Waaypuk Trail (formerly Silverlake Drive), Poway; free;
858-668-1292 or poway.org/kiic.

The La Mesa Depot
---- The only surviving depot
from the San Diego and Cuyamaca Railway, the 1894 building is
operated as a museum by the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum;
exhibits include a 1923 steam switcher; 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays; 4695
Nebo Drive, La Mesa; free; 619-478-9937 or sdrm.org/la-mesa.

Leo Carrillo Ranch
---- Authentic Western-style
rancho, barn and gardens filled with film memorabilia, antiques and
Old West/Americana items once owned by Carrillo, who starred in a
series of Western serials and films before his death in 1961; the
ranch is registered as a California Historic Landmark; 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays; tours offered
11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturdays; noon and 2 p.m. Sundays; 6200 Flying
LC Lane, Carlsbad; free; 760-476-1042 or carrillo-ranch.org.

Lux Art Institute
---- Showcases the work of
artists in residence, arts education and site-specific
installations; Brooklyn painter Emilio Perez, who creates textured
canvases with latex and acrylic paints and a knife, is in residence
through Dec. 10; his work will remain on view until Dec. 31; 1 to 5
p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays; 1550 S. El
Camino Real, Encinitas; $5 adults over 21, good for two visits
during same residency; free to 20 and under; 760-436-6611 or
luxartinstitute.org.

The Marine Corps Mechanized Command Museum
----
Devoted to preserving and exhibiting combat and support vehicles
used by the Marines from World War II to the present; tours
available by reservation only ---- send requests to Commanding
Officer, history museums, HQ SPT BN, Box 555031, Marine Corps Base
Camp Pendleton, CA 92055-5031 or fax to 760-725-5727, Attn: History
& Museums.

Maritime Museum of San Diego
---- Permanent
exhibits include the historical 19th-century tall ship the Star of
India; the turn-of-the-century ferry Berkeley; a Cold War-era
Soviet Foxtrot-class attack submarine; and the 1968 U.S. research
submarine the USS Dolphin, which holds the record for the deepest
submarine dive; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San
Diego; $12, general; $10, juniors (13-17), seniors and active
military; $7, children (6-12); free, children 5 and under;
619-234-9153 or sdmaritime.org.

The Marston House Museum & Gardens
----
This classic 1906 Arts and Crafts house was designed by renowned
local architects William Hebbard and Irving Gill. It sits on 5
acres with a formal English Romantic-style garden, period
furnishings, pottery and an American Indian basketry collection;
museum also hosts a gift shop hosted by Save Our Heritage
Organization; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays-Mondays; Balboa Park, 3525
Seventh Ave., San Diego; $10, general; $7, seniors (55 and over);
$4, children ages 6 to 12, free, children 5 and under; guided tours
available at additional cost; 619-297-9327 or marstonhouse.org.

McKinney House and Museum
---- Illustrates
early 20th-century life in San Diego County, with exhibits housed
in a 1908 home; 1 to 4 p.m. first and third Saturdays of each
month; 8369 University Ave., La Mesa; free; 619-466-0197 or
lamesahistoricalsociety.com.

MCRD Command Museum
---- Exhibits trace the
history of the U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot and the Marines in
the San Diego region; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays-Wednesdays, and
Fridays and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursdays; 1600
Henderson Ave., Marine Corps Recruit Depot (enter Gate 5), San
Diego; free; photo ID and proof of insurance are required to enter
the base and vehicles are subject to search; 619-524-8431 or
mcrdmuseumhistoricalsociety.org.

Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum
----
The museum honors the work of some of the world's finest craftsmen
in miniature. Over 300 displays include running model steam, gas,
Stirling and other types of engines, miniature tools and guns,
model aircraft, trains, cars and construction equipment, clocks and
collections of vintage model airplane engines and tabletop machine
tools. A working machine shop offers demonstrations on how metal is
cut to make precision projects; huors, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays,
Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; closed holidays; 3190 Lionshead
Ave., Carlsbad; free; 760-727-9492 or craftsmanshipmuseum.com.

Mission San Diego de Alcala
---- The first of
the California missions features self-guided tours and historical
exhibits; docent-led tours by reservation only; 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
daily; 10818 San Diego Mission Road, San Diego; $3, general; $2,
seniors and students; $1, children 12 and under; 619-281-8449 or
missionsandiego.com.

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Downtown
---- "Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface," an in-depth
look at 13 artists working in L.A. in the 1960s and '70s, runs
through Jan. 22; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays-Tuesdays; 11 a.m. to 7
p.m. third Thursday of each month; 1001 and 1100 Kettner Blvd., San
Diego; $10, adults 26 and over; $5, seniors; free, active-duty
military and immediate families, and 25 and under; free admission
after 5 p.m. on the third Thursday; 858-454-3541 or mcasd.org.

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, La Jolla
---- "Phenomenal: California Light, Space, Surface," an in-depth
look at 13 artists working in L.A. in the 1960s and '70s, runs
through Jan. 22; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays-Tuesdays; closed
Wednesdays; extended hours until 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of
every month; 700 Prospect St., La Jolla; $10 adults 26 and over;
$5, seniors; free, active-duty military and immediate families, and
25 and under; free admission after 5 p.m. on the third Thursday of
each month; 858-454-3541 or mcasd.org.

Museum of Making Music
---- The museum
celebrates the innovations that changed the face of American
popular music and music-making from the 1890s to the present and
features 500 vintage instruments, hundreds of audio and video
examples and an interactive stage; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays-Sundays; 5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad; $8, general; $5,
students, seniors and active military; free, children 5 and under;
760-438-5996 or museumofmakingmusic.org.

National City Depot
---- Historical depot built
in 1882 for the California Southern Railway has been restored and
houses exhibits on early rail in San Diego County; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursdays-Sundays; 922 West 23rd St., National City; free;
619-474-4400 or sdera.org/depot.shtml.

The New Children's Museum
---- The children's
holiday craft workshop "Pocket Presents" takes place daily through
Dec. 24; "Trash," an educational exhibit featuring recycled
artworks by 12 international artists, is open; the museum provides
dynamic, playful and hands-on exhibits and studios, along with art
classes and other fun activities for children and families; 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 6
p.m. Thursdays; noon to 4 p.m. Sundays; $10, adults and children;
$5, seniors and active-duty military with ID; free, children under
1; free admission for all second Sunday of each month, 10 a.m. to 4
p.m.; 200 W. Island Ave., San Diego; 619-233-8792 and
thinkplaycreate.org.

Oceanside Museum of Art
---- "The Point of
View: William Glen Crooks" runs through April 22; "We Can Work It
Out: Becky Guttin," through Jan. 5; "It's Not My Fault: The Art of
Everett Peck," through Jan. 29; "A Matter of Space: Cathy Breslaw,"
through Feb. 12; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 1 to 4 p.m.
Sundays; 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside; $8, general; $5, seniors;
free, students with ID and military with ID, and their dependents;
760-435-3720 or oma-online.org.

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
---- San
Diego's original downtown square from the late 1800s; exhibits
include La Casa de Estudillo (a mansion built around a garden
courtyard), La Casa de Machado y Stewart, the Mason Street School
(California's first public schoolhouse), La Casa de Machado y
Silvas, the San Diego Union Printing Office, the Seeley Stables
Museum, a working blacksmith shop (limited hours) and the first
brick courthouse; 4002 Wallace St., San Diego; free; 619-220-5422
or parks.ca.gov/?page_id=663.

San Diego Air & Space Museum
---- Exhibits
include many historical aircraft and reproductions, from the Wright
Brothers through the manned lunar missions to the present;
admission includes admission to the 3-D/4-D Zable Theater; 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. daily; Balboa Park, 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego;
$16.50, general; $13.50, seniors, students and retired military
with ID; $6, children 3-11; free, children 2 and under and active
military with ID; simulator rides are extra; behind-the-scenes
restoration tours are available for additional fee; 619-234-8291 or
sandiegoairandspace.org.

San Diego Archaeological Center
---- Exhibits
detail the last 10,000 years of the region's past through use of
local artifacts; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. Saturdays; 16666 San Pasqual Valley Road, San Pasqual Valley;
free; 760-291-0370 or sandiegoarchaeology.org.

San Diego Automotive Museum
---- Museum traces
the history of the automobile; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily; Balboa
Park, 2080 Pan American Plaza, San Diego; $8, general; $6, seniors
and military; $5, students with ID; $4, children 6 to 15; free,
children under 6; 619-231-2886 or sdautomuseum.org.

San Diego Botanic Garden
---- The garden
contains plants from around the world, including the largest bamboo
collection in the United States; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; 230 Quail
Gardens Drive, Encinitas; $12, general; $8, seniors, students and
active-duty military; $6, children 3-12; free, children 2 and
under; 760-436-3036 or sdbgarden.org.

San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
---- The
former Escondido Children's Museum features numerous hands-on
exhibits to help children learn about science, local history and
the arts; "Second Saturday" family days every month; 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; noon to 4 p.m. Sundays; Studio 1,
California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 380 N. Escondido Blvd.,
Escondido; $5, adults and children; free, infants 1 and under;
760-233-7755 or sdcdm.org.

San Diego Hall of Champions
---- The museum
documents the teams and individuals who have shaped San Diego's
sports landscape, from prep stars to the numerous professional
clubs that have called the area home; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily;
Balboa Park, 2131 Pan American Plaza, San Diego; $8, general; $6,
seniors, military and students; $4, children 7-17; free, children 6
and under; 619-234-2544 or sdhoc.com.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum
---- The
museum's 27,000-square-foot layout is the largest indoor model
railroad display in North America; permanent exhibits include five
working model railroads, including HO-scale, N-scale, and Lionel
and O-gauge trains; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, San
Diego; $7, general; $6, seniors; $3, students with ID; $2.50,
active-duty military with ID; free, children under 15 with paid
adult; 619-696-0199 or sdmodelrailroadm.com.

San Diego Museum of Art
---- The museum's
permanent holdings include a collection of Italian Renaissance,
Dutch and Spanish Old Masters; Asian art, South Asian paintings, as
well as comprehensive examples of American art, 19th-century
European paintings and 20th-century paintings and sculpture; 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; Balboa
Park, 1450 El Prado, San Diego; $12, general; $9, seniors and
active-duty military; $8, students with ID; $4.50, children 6 to
17; free, children 5 and under; 619-232-7931 or sdmart.org.

San Diego Museum of Man
---- "Modern Day Mummy:
The Art & Science of Mummification" runs through March 4;
anthropology and archaeology museum, with an emphasis on San Diego
County and Southern California, plus ancient Egypt; the Children's
Discovery Center includes a 1,350-square-foot interactive gallery
that depicts life in ancient Egypt; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily;
California Building, Balboa Park, 1350 El Prado, San Diego; $12.50,
general; $10, seniors and active-duty military with ID; $8, youth
(ages 13-17) and students with ID; $5, children ages 3 to 12; free,
children 2 and under; 619-239-2001 or museumofman.org.

San Diego Natural History Museum
---- "Best of
Nature" photography show runs Jan. 10-May 31; opening reception, 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 21; "Skulls," a new permanent exhibition of
more than 200 animals skulls from tiny snakes to a giraffe and
rhinoceros, is open; "Ends of the Earth: From Polar Bears to
Penguins," an exhibit about the fragile balance of life on the
polar ice caps, "Working on Thin Ice: 25 Years of Research in
Antarctica" and "All that Glitters: The Splendor and Science of
Gems and Minerals" run through April 2012; playing on large-format
screen: "Dinosaurs 3D: Giants of Patagonia," "Ocean Oasis" and
"Inner Earth 3D"; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (open until 8 p.m.
Thursdays, except holidays); hours vary weekly, call to confirm;
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego; $17, general; $15, seniors;
$12, military, youth (13-17) and students with ID; $11, children
ages 3 to 12; free, children 2 and under; sdnat.org or
619-232-3821.

San Dieguito Heritage Museum
---- A new exhibit
that re-creates a 1920s-1940s-style barber shop is open; permanent
exhibits on local history, from American Indians through early
settlers to modern surfing culture; the new "Families Make History"
program offers free hands-on activities from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturdays
and Sundays; hours, noon to 4 p.m. Thursdays-Sundays; 450 Quail
Gardens Drive, Encinitas; $4, general; $2 seniors and students,
free for young children, active military and members, 760-632-9711
or sdheritage.org.

San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park
---- Commemorates the soldiers on both sides of the 1846 battle
during the Mexican-American War; exhibits include uniforms, weapons
and equipment; 15808 San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido; 10 a.m.-5
p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; 760-737-2201 or
www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=655.

Santa Margarita y Las Flores Ranch House
Complex
---- Located on Camp Pendleton, this complex
includes the Ranch House (1827), the home of Pio Pico, last Mexican
governor of Alta California, as well as the Ranch House Chapel
(1810) and the Bunkhouse Museum; tours available by reservation
only, from September through May ---- call 760-725-3146.

Serra Museum
---- The Serra Museum sits on the
site of the original San Diego mission set up by the Spanish
priests before they moved to the current Mission Valley location,
and documents the early history of European settlement in San Diego
County; operated by the San Diego Historical Society; 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; Presidio Park, 2727 Presidio Drive, Old
Town San Diego; $5, general; $4, seniors and active-duty military
and students with ID; $2, children 6 to 17; free, children under 6;
619-297-3258 or sandiegohistory.org.

Timken Museum of Art
---- The permanent
collection is primarily Dutch, Flemish, French and Italian
painters, including Rembrandt, Rubens, Petrus Christus, Fragonard,
Jacques-Louis David and Veronese, as well as American artists such
as John Singleton Copley and Eastman Johnson; and Russian icons; 10
a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Sundays; Balboa Park, 1500 El Prado, San Diego; free; 619-239-5548
or timkenmuseum.org.

USS Midway Museum
---- Floating aircraft
carrier museum educates the public on the history of these
"floating cities," with tours of the flight, hangar and mess decks;
pilot house; navigation bridge; and much more; Navy jet simulator
rides available for additional charge; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily;
aboard the USS Midway, 910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego; $18,
general; $15, seniors 62 and up, college students with ID; $10,
retired military with ID and children 6 to 17; free, active-duty
military and reservists with ID and children under 6; 619-544-9600
or midway.org.

Valley Center History Museum
---- Town history,
American Indian artifacts, historical documents, tributes to the
original American settlers, visiting celebrities and more are on
exhibit; the museum's centerpiece is a stuffed 8-foot, 1,200-pound
California grizzly bear, recalling the days when the village was
known as Bear Valley; 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 29200 Cole
Grade Road, Valley Center; free; 760-749-2993 or
valleycenterhistory.org.

Veterans Museum & Memorial
---- The museum
honors the service and sacrifice of San Diego County military
veterans with exhibits, service programs and outreach; 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays; 2115 Park Blvd., Balboa Park, San Diego; $5,
general; $4, veterans and seniors; $2, students with ID; free,
children under 12 and active-duty military and dependents with ID;
619-239-2300 or veteranmuseum.org.

Vista Historical Society Museum
----- The
museum, housed in the 1934 two-story Rancho Minerva, exhibits early
Vista memorabilia, artworks and photographs of the historical home;
10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays, and the first two
Saturdays of each month; 2317 Old Foothill Drive, Vista;
760-630-0444 or vhsm.org.

The Water Conservation Garden
---- Botanical
park illustrates how native and other plants are able to thrive on
only small amounts of water; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily; Cuyamaca
College, 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon; free;
619-660-0614 or thegarden.org.

Whaley House Museum
---- The Whaley House was
built by San Diego pioneer Thomas Whaley in 1857 for his family and
general store, and is operated by the Save Our Heritage
Organization; the museum is widely rumored to be haunted, and is
open several evenings a week; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays-Tuesdays,
10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2476 San Diego Ave., Old
Town San Diego; before 5 p.m. admission: $6, general; $5, seniors;
$4, children 3-12, free, children 2 and under; after 5 p.m.: $10,
adults; $5, children 3-12; free, children 2 and under; 619-297-7511
or whaleyhouse.org.

Women's Museum of California
---- The museum
features archives and exhibits on important women in world history;
noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 2323 Broadway, Suite 107, San
Diego; $5, general; $3, seniors and students; 619-233-7963 or
whmec.org.

Guy B. Woodward Museum
---- The museum focuses
on early Western history, specifically that of the Ramona area ----
exhibits include turn-of-the-century furniture, a collection of
women's clothing and accessories, a cowboy bunkhouse and the Casey
Tibbs Memorial exhibit; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Sundays; 645 Main
St., Ramona; $3, adults; 50 cents, children; 760-789-7644 or
woodwardmuseum.org.

The World War II and Korea LVT Exhibit
----
Vintage amphibious tracked vehicles, related artifacts and
informational displays on landing craft used by the Marines in
those two wars; located on Camp Pendleton ---- tours available by
reservation only; call 760-725-2195.